Paris and Washington responded to AFU missile exercises

Representatives of the French Foreign Ministry and the US military have commented on conducting scheduled exercises by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) near Crimea and reaction of the Russian Federation.

WASHINGTON (QHA) -

Speaker of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a representative of the Pentagon simultaneously supported Ukraine in its decision to conduct missile exercises not far from the Russian-occupied Crimea.

Pentagon spokesperson Michel Baldantsa said the Pentagon is informed about the Russian claims made in connection with the missile exercises of the AFU. She noted that the reaction of the Russian Federation serves as a distraction from the real issue: Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

“We have seen the reports of missile exercises in Ukraine over international waters. In addition, we know about the Russian claims in connection with these transparent exercises. Constant Russia’s false and misleading statements about Ukraine continue to distract the international community from the real problem: the Russian aggression,” said the representative of the Pentagon.

In turn, the speaker of the French Foreign Ministry Romain Nadal pointed out the accumulation of Russian warships off the coast of the Crimea and recommended the parties "to refrain from escalating."

“France is concerned about the deployment of Russian warships off the coast of the Crimea ... We call on all parties to refrain from escalating and to start a dialogue that France is ready to support in every possible way,” said Romain Nadal.

Notably, the North Atlantic Alliance has sent its E-3A aircraft AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) to monitor the situation with missile exercises of the AFU.